France and England Clash in World Cup Third-Place Match After Semifinal Setbacks

Both teams will compete in the third-place match in Miami Gardens, Florida, a day before the championship game, a scenario neither side desired.

England coach Thomas Tuchel acknowledged the disappointment, stating, “None of our players, and none of the French players, wants to play the third-place match. They want to play the final. We gave everything to achieve it.”

England’s semifinal exit came after a 2-1 loss to Argentina, with late goals in the 85th minute and stoppage time crushing their hopes. France, meanwhile, fell 2-0 to Spain in a match where they were outplayed for large stretches.

France coach Didier Deschamps expressed his dissatisfaction, saying, “The best thing for France and England would be for this match not to exist.”

This will be Deschamps’ final match as Les Bleus coach, ending his 14-year tenure that included the 2018 World Cup victory. Reflecting on his legacy, he added, “I had the privilege to go through amazing moments and to go also through some more difficult moments, so the end is coming near but life goes on.”

France’s Kylian Mbappé, tied with Argentina’s Lionel Messi for the Golden Boot with eight goals, emphasized responsibility for the semifinal loss: “As the captain, I have to take all the responsibility. We wanted to go to the final. We didn’t go.”

England’s Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane (six goals each) and France’s Ousmane Dembele (five goals) remain in contention for the Golden Boot. Kane, 32, addressed his uncertain World Cup future, saying, “It’s too early to talk about that. As a person, it’s always just about taking it year by year and how I feel.”

Tuchel defended his tactical approach after England took a 1-0 lead against Argentina, asserting, “No regrets, the team gave everything, and we were very, very close. We deserved to be up one-nil. We played one of our better matches, maybe the best match.”

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